Clinging to God and guns
Would Christ Carry? This article is months old, but thought it appropriate for sharing. Long but a good read.
Doug Giles : Would Christ Carry a Concealed Weapon? - Townhall.com
I was on a talk show the other day defending the Second Amendment and discussing with my host the stupid, unconstitutional and woefully inadequate D.C. gun ban. I made it clear that I am a Christian who is extremely cool (to the point of being giddy) with our right to keep and bear arms.
After we trounced the anti-gun lobby for their goofy, doe-eyed, John Lennon-like “Imagine” solutions to violent crime, we opened up the phone lines for folks to weigh in with their two cents. The first caller was a woman who asked if I thought Jesus would carry a weapon if He were here today, to which I quickly replied, yes, of course He would—especially if He lived in Miami and was driving down I-95 at four o’clock in the morning.
The female caller, being far more spiritual than I am, didn’t think it was funny and went on to make it personal by asking if someone were attacking one of my daughters and I had a gun if I thought Christ would be cool with me killing the felonious freak. I told her that I sure hoped He would because otherwise He’d be terribly disappointed in me and would just have to forgive me. Common sense and primal instinct tell me that the bad guy should die and the good girl should live. Call me carnal.
Of course the holier-than-me caller was aghast that as a Christian I would have no problem whatsoever defending my friends, family, person and possessions with deadly force. Her reason being was that she couldn’t picture Jesus doing it and concluded that because she couldn’t wrap her mind around Him green-lighting the destruction of a demented perp that He certainly wouldn’t and thus I shouldn’t.
When discussing what Christ would do in a given situation, it’s usually good to actually go to the gospels, read them and then draw conclusions. Here’s what I’ve gotten after scouring Scripture a few times:
1. Jesus in His earthly ministry didn’t carry a weapon except the time when He took a whip (a whip! You gotta love it!) and Billy Jack’ed the televangelists out of the temple. He didn’t chide them or write them a strong but tasteful e-mail asking them to please not do that kind of stuff in church.
What did the meek and mild Messiah do? He whipped them. God, I hope you got that on DVD for me to watch when I get to heaven. I wonder if the Christ-is-a-pacifist-wuss-lady can picture sweet Jesus laying the leather to the backs of the marketers who were making His father’s house a place of merchandise. If Christ were to do that today He’d be thrown in prison, and 99.9% of churches in the USA wouldn’t have Him speak at their annual Hallelujah Aren’t We Fabulous conference because Jesus wouldn’t be behaving very Christ-like.
2. It’s clear from Scripture that Jesus didn’t need weapons because He had at his disposal an angelic host that could flatten armies. I unfortunately don’t have that capability. Nor can I walk through walls or split oceans. Christ had supernatural protection, and His disciples carried swords. I, too, believe that God supernaturally protects me, to some degree, because I should have been dead a long time ago. However, should my guardian angel be napping or busy doing something else other than trying to keep up with me, I’ll be okay, because Smith & Wesson art with me as well.
3. Lastly, in Luke 22:36-38 Christ told his disciples, even though He personally did not pack a weapon, that they, in light of His departure, should get a deadly weapon—namely a sword. Check it out . . .
“And he [Jesus] said to them [His disciples], ‘But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one. For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, ‘And he was numbered with transgressors’; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment.’ They said, ‘Lord, look, here are two swords.’ And He said to them, ‘It is enough.’”
Jesus told them—didn’t ask or mildly suggest—but told His buddies to sell their leather jacket if need be and buy a sword. The sword which Christ told his compadres to purchase was not a QVC decorative Claymore to hang on their walls to commemorate the good times they had when Christ was around. The original word used for sword in this text was a large knife used for killing animals and cutting flesh. It was particularly fashioned for short, deadly thrusts in hand-to-hand combat.
Jesus didn’t tell them to carry a whistle, a shofar horn, or a bag of sand to blow in bad guys’ eyes, but a dagger-like sword. A vicious, nasty and deadly weapon not used for cutting vegetables, spreading butter or splitting a bagel but for violently tapping a lung or heart in case of an attack. Now, in a 21st century WWJD context, even though He didn’t personally carry a weapon, what do you think He thinks about His followers defending themselves with deadly force, huh, pacifists?
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A discussion similar to this was posted sometime before. My personal opinion, no Christ would not carry. My reasoning is that he didn't carry a sword (the weapon of the time) and did his best to be a man of peace. He did, however, want his followers to be prepared for life and any dangers that may come their way. This one phrase has also been taken out of context by a few so called prophets and ended badly for their followers.
Jesus definitely would not have carried, and the reason is too simple to understand for many. Jesus Christ was born to die for the sins of the world. He knew from the beginning that He would be falsely accused and condemned to the cross, and that was His job here on earth. Had Jesus wanted, He could have blown away the Pharisees and the Roman legions with a wave of His finger.
And also remember Matthew 10:34: Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
+1. No man could harm him until it was his appointed time to die for our sins. He would not however have a problem with anyone arming themselves for protection.
By faith Noah,being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear,prepared an ark to the saving of his house;by the which he condemned the world,and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith Heb.11:7
OUTSTANDING Reply!! Thankyou.Originally Posted by gpbarth
I do agree with those of you who say Christ would not have carried. However, his followers did carry the weapon of the day, whether it was a problem that Jesus had or not isn't clear. Peter was clearly carrying a sword when the ear of a Roman soldiier was removed with it. Jesus did telll Peter that those who live by the sword will die by the sword, but he never was recorded as rebuking any of the disciples for carrying the weapon with them. If the Lord looks down on me for carrying the weapon of my choice, then so be it. But judgement should be passed on me by him. Not a tree hugging liberal who lives in a dream world that has no crime or danger..Just my two cents..
I went to north carolina for a week and was looking for gun ranges to go to and found this on one of the sites
BibleonConcealedCarry
Clinging to God and guns
Excellent find!! Thank you for posting!
Thank God I'm alive!
My guess is that Christ would not carry. Anyone who would allow themselves to be put through what he was put through and not attempt to stop it probably would not carry. However, that does not mean that he does not want others to do it.
Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.
Benjamin Franklin
Clinging to God and guns
I agree with the other posters in here that Jesus would not have carried a sword or a knife for defense purposes. He had no need since his destiny was predetermined. However, I do believe that he would want us to have the appropriate tools to defend ourselves.
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